Passionate
Matthew 16:22-23 Peter
took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall
never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!
You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but
the things of men.”
YOU have been around people who are passionate for a cause, haven’t
you? Maybe you are one who is like them. I hope so.
Yes, Peter’s
passion may be misdirected at this point, but you can’t blame him. He’s grown
up in a culture that lives in great hope for the Messiah. He even grew up in
Galilee, proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah to be of special importance to the
Messiah’s reign. He’s watched Jesus in action, and he’s hungered for Jesus’
teaching. Peter is a true disciple, passionately following his Master.
But Peter’s
understanding was not yet complete as he said, “Never, Lord!” rebuking Jesus’
words of self-sacrifice. Imagine rebuking the Lord! But certainly Jesus’ words
scared and confused him as he spoke of sacrifice and death and the
incomprehensible rising again. Passionate Peter was picturing his Master would
reign. Jesus said, “I’m going to die.”
As a man, Jesus
could have been tempted to say, “Good idea, Peter. I’ll skip the sacrifice and
the dieing, and it will be all good.” But Jesus is also the Son of God. He knows
Satan is using Peter’s passion to persuade him from the cross.
Saying, “Get
behind me, Satan.” Jesus reveals the stumbling block between our hearts and
Jesus’ truths. Christ-following requires passion to seek God, passion to stand
for him, passion to sacrifice for him and passion to die to our own desires.
Too often, though,
when Jesus requires sacrifice, we cry, “Never, Lord!” Imagine that, rebuking
the Lord.
LIFE Link: Passionate obedience.
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